High alk problems..

[Customride0105]

I have a 450 gallon tank including sump.

Water pram.

Tank.
Alk 11.3
Cal 400
Mag 1140
Nitrate .2
Nitrite 0
Ammo 0
Phos 0.32
PH 8.0

Well water prams
Alk 8.3
Calc 70
Mag 30
Nitrate 0
Nitrite 0
Ammo 0
Phos .1
PH 7.4

I do not use a ro my tds is at .1

I do no dosing other than kalk. I'm trying to raise my mag to 1450 witch comes out to 270oz. Almost 2 gallon brs mag mix. So I'm adding a little at a time. About 2 cups a day.

My question is how is my alk so high yet ph is consistent at 8 to 8.1

I plan on dosing cal to get it up to 450 range do I continue to use kalk while dosing everything

My corals are happy just really slow groth. And I tested my water and we'll then took a gallon of each to the lfs a d got almost identical results.

 

[33yrplus]

The reason your Alk is high is because of combined additions from the well water and also the Kalk. Read up on Kalk raising Alk.

Some options for dealing with the issue:

1. Add Muriatic acid to your top off water to remove the existing alk. Continue adding the Kalk.

2. Adding CaCl to raise Calcium with out affecting Alk. Stop the Kalk. You will need to keep up regular water changes to reduce the ionic imbalance from only adding CaCl.

3. The best option is to install an RO/DI unit.

Your high Phosphate will also be affecting the growth rate of your corals.

 

[organism]

High alk will naturally fall over time without you having to do much, but RO/DI is key to a good reef especially SPS. You're going to need to buy one sooner or later, might as well make it sooner.

 

[Customride0105]

Now why do I need a rodi? Does it remove the alk in the well water already?

 

[Nate1984]

RO/DI is preferred. You basically start with a clean slate. Nearly pure H2O. From there you your top offs are not effecting your chemistry because the water is evaporating and salt and minerals stay in tank water (minus salt creep). You can them dose ALK/MAG/CAL with more consistency. RO/DI also removes things reefers do not commonly test for i.e. Heavy metals pesticides and other contaminates. But do your research I agree with not doing something just because everyone else is, there are plenty of articles about the subject available.

 

[Customride0105]

What part of the rodi takes out the alk. I don't think the rodi is going to make much of a difference. I have a hard time keeping lps some said it was cause my water was too clean.

Reason my Phos are up is I been running my leds at 100 blue and 80 white. Sand started growing canyo really bad this was a problem for almost 2 mths. Doing normal water changes thinking there was a problem. So
I got some new sps and didn't acclimate them they started to bleach. So I turned down the lights and noticed all my other corals like it better and my canyo almost dissappeared in 3 days my leds are now set at 100 blue and 30/25 white I'm noticing more groth out of the corals with the lights down Lower Expt for 2 that loved the high light.

My tank is almost all sps only
My frags under high light would take a mth or 2 to cover the frag plug

I just did a frag 2 weeks ago and sps is covering all the glue already.

I'm thinking my Phos were high due to the light the alk at 11.3 is it really going to hurt anything being that high.

 

[Nate1984]

High alk problems..

If what you have is working for you then you know what is best for your tank. The RO/DI has many very positive benefits. Your water with a properly functioning system with have 0 GH and 0 DKH. Which means when you mix your salt your DKH will be within a lower range. When you top off water you will not be adding DKH or GH.

http://m.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=842

http://www.reefcentral.com/index.php/rodi-faq

I also have put a T and some valves so I can select RO to make drinking water and RO/DI for tank. Like I said if what you have is working then good. But I encourage you to do the research on the benefits of an RO/DI unit. It is one of the best investment you can make in your aquarium IMO.

 

[Pife]

What salt mic do you use? . Read the sticky on calcium mag and alkalinity. You need to understand there relationship.

 

[organism]

Now why do I need a rodi? Does it remove the alk in the well water already?

It should remove everything, along with things like contaminants that you might not know are affecting your corals. You're starting with alkalinity at 8.3 and then adding salt mix with an alkalinity of 8+ on its own that's meant to go in water with alkalinity of 7, might have problems until you get that sorted imo but to each their own.

 

[33yrplus]

Contaminants can include iron from old pipes in the cities water system and copper from the pipes in your own residence.

Copper is toxic while Iron may contribute to nuisance algae.

 

[power boat jim]

What part of the rodi takes out the alk. I don't think the rodi is going to make much of a difference.

.

It may make all the difference and it wont cause any harm. There is no down side to using it.